*Photograph: Joe Buckley
LOW TURNOUTS have been recorded in polling booths across Clare for the Presidential election.
Voters went to polling stations in Co Clare from 7am on Friday morning until 10pm to decide whether to elect Catherine Connolly (IND) or Heather Humphreys (FG) as the tenth President of Ireland.
Jim Gavin (FF) appeared on the ballot paper despite his withdrawal from the contest at the beginning of the month. He is understood to have garnered strong support in West Clare with many Fianna Fáil voters deciding to give him their first preference and transferring their second to Humphreys.
Nationally, the turnout will be below the 43% for the 2018 election and it is likely to have one of the lowest turnouts for a Presidential election in the country.
Fanore recorded the biggest turnout in the county with close to 70 percent of the electorate having their say. This is suspected to result in a strong gain for Connolly. It was the only polling booth in the county to have over 60 percent.
Areas where more than half the electorate had their say included Bodyke, Clooney, Cooraclare, Coore, Dromindoora, Miltown Malbay, Moy, Tuamgraney, Tulla and Annaghneal.
Spoiled votes are anticipated to be high in Clare as with other parts of the country.
Presidential Election 2025 Turnout Clare:
Annaghneal = 56%
Ballinruan = 49%
Bodyke = 55%
Clarecastle = 47.37%
Clooney = 54%
Cooraclare = 51%
Connolly = 46%
Coore = 52%
Cratloe = 39%
Crusheen = 50%
Dromindoora = 51%
Ennis CBS = 41%
Ennistymon = 45%
Fanore = 69%
Feakle = 50%
Kilrush = 41.08%
Lahinch = 48.5%
Miltown Malbay = 51.16%
Moy = 53%
Mullagh = 37%
Newmarket-on-Fergus = 45.4%
O’Callaghans Mills = 49.7%
Quilty = 42%
Scariff = 46.5%
Tuamgraney = 54%
Tulla = 53.3%
Whitegate = 57%